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Aussie Matthews takes lead in Giro

Richard Moore

Australia's Michael Matthews is the Giro d'Italia's new leader, having taken the pink jersey from his Orica-GreenEDGE team-mate Svein Tuft after German sprinter Marcel Kittel won Saturday's second stage.

"The plan was to win (Friday's) team time trial, to give Svein the jersey for his birthday, and then for me to get a place in the sprint and take the jersey," said Matthews.

"To wear the pink jersey in my first Giro d'Italia is a dream come true."

The 23-year-old was no match for Kittel in the sprint finish in a wet Belfast, at the end of Saturday's 219km stage, finishing eighth.

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"I think Kittel is definitely the fastest guy in the bunch here. He showed that today. I need to try to be around him in these first stages and conserve energy for stages five and six, which are my goals for this Giro. I'm focused on them."

He is focused on staying in pink, too, with GreenEDGE riders occupying the first six places and Matthews enjoying an eight-second lead over the rest of the field: "With the gap we have over the other teams we should be able to keep the jersey for maybe a week."

Kittel confirmed his status as cycling's in-form sprinter, even if Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel, his main rivals, are both missing.

It was his first Giro win after his four stage victories in last year's Tour de France and means that he has now won stages in all three Grand Tours - France, Italy and Spain.

At the end of a stage that took the riders north from Belfast to the Bushmills Distillery, returning by the coast and passing Giant's Causeway, it was a relatively straightforward win for Kittel, whose Giant-Shimano team shepherded him over roads made treacherous by rain.

On the run-in to Belfast the peloton swept up a four-man break that had been clear for most of the stage, with Maarten Tjallingii of the Netherlands the last survivor.

But when Kittel appeared at the front in the final 500 metres, having safely negotiated a ninety-degree bend, it was as good as over for the others.

He sprinted in over a length clear of second-place Nacer Bouhanni of France.

"I know the riders who I have to take care of and keep an eye on," said Kittel.

"Bouhanni and (Elia) Viviani will definitely challenge us here. It's a problem if you become arrogant and think you will beat them."

Sunday's third stage, a 187km cross-border leg from Armagh to Dublin, should also suit Kittel on what will be his 26th birthday.